My Services
A Short Biograpgy of Amy
Photo of Amy Whitworth
Amy Whitworth

The Early Years

I grew up on Long Island, NY under the shade of an old apple tree and spent much of my time climbing its limbs—when I wasn't riding my bike or watching bugs... (always a nature-girl)

Study and Work

After studying Ornamental Horticulture at the University of Delaware and Fine Arts at Philadelphia College of Art (now University of the Arts), I returned to New York. There, I worked for a company that maintain tropical plants in offices and restaurants.

I moved to Philadelphia in 1981 and started an Interior Plantscape business specializing in residential design and maintenance. I planned and maintained plants in client's homes, model homes, high visibility commercial lobbies, and atriums.

In 1991 I came to Portland and studied Landscape Design at PCC Rock Creek. I worked at Tsugawa Nursery in Woodland, Washington, as a Garden Designer. At Tsugawa, I also taught gardening classes and designed visual merchandising displays.

illustration of 3 flowers

I established Plan-it Earth Design in 1998, and it has evolved into what you see today—a process-oriented design collaboration with you.

I have been working since 2003 as Communications Chair for ANLD (www.anld.com) helping to keep local designers connected to events and educational opportunities in the region, and have been serving as Legislative Advocate on the Board of APLD Oregon (www.apldoregon.org) since 2005, vigilantly protecting the rights of Landscape Designers in Oregon. I am also on the Board of Directors for Livable Place (www.livableplace.org).

I've worked with The Berry Botanic Garden, The Audubon Society of Portland and the National Wildlife Federation designing Go Native: A Bird Friendly Display Garden for the Portland Home and Garden Show in 2003. That garden won the Water Wise Award and the Wildlife Habitat Award.

I am available to teach classes throughout Portland, Oregon on various landscape design topics, including:

  • Small Space Design;
  • Gardening for Year-round Interest;
  • Creating Habitat with Native Plants; and
  • Raingardens for the Disconnected Downspout.

I have attended the City of Portland-sponsored stormwater retrofit training and am listed on their website as a resource for raingarden (stormwater facility) design (portlandonline.com/bes/index.cfm?c=43445&#additional)

In collaboration with another Portland garden designer, I've won numerous awards, detailed at our website at The Garden Design Studio